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Leo protospatharios and imperial notarios of the Phylax (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ on her chest. At left and right: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, the final letter between two bars. Border of dots.

θκε,θ,
λεντ
σπΘΡ,
νοτρ,
τφυλ,
Κ,

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Λέωντα (πρωτο)σπαθάρ(ιον), β(ασιλικὸν) νοτάρ(ιον) τοῦ Φύλ(α)κ(ος)

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ on her chest. At left and right: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, the final letter between two bars. Border of dots.

θκε,θ,
λεντ
σπΘΡ,
νοτρ,
τφυλ,
Κ,

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Λέωντα (πρωτο)σπαθάρ(ιον), β(ασιλικὸν) νοτάρ(ιον) τοῦ Φύλ(α)κ(ος)

Accession number BZS.1955.1.3255
Diameter 27.0 mm; field: 17.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 27.2b; Laurent, Corpus 2: no. 207 (with misreadings).

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Λέωντα πρωτοσπαθάριον, βασιλικὸν νοτάριον τοῦ Φύλακος.

Mother of God, help Leo protospatharios and imperial notarios of the Phylax.

Commentary

The Phylax was a depository within the confines of the great palace where various imperial treasures were safeguarded (Theophanes Cont., 253.7–8, 255.15–16). It abutted the Chrysotriklinos (see Laurent, Corpus 2:346). As a treasury it was independent of the fisc. Hendy (Monetary Economy, 311) is correct that the eidikon and the Phylax appear to be similar treasuries, but at least in the eleventh century, as our seals testify to, the Phylas had its own personnel, and by extension, a separate identity.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Theophanes Continuatus, Ioannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (Open in Zotero)
  • Studies in the Byzantine Monetary Economy, c. 300–1450 (Open in Zotero)